Effects of the usage of diatomite and waste marble powder as partial replacement of cement on the mechanical properties of concrete

Diatomite is a pozzolanic material containing amorphous silica, cristabolite and minor amounts of residual minerals. Waste marble powder (WMP) is an inert material which is obtained as an industrial by product during sawing, shaping, and polishing of marble and causes a serious environmental problem. This paper describes the procedures and results of a laboratory investigation of mechanical properties carried out on the concrete specimens containing diatomite and WMP as partial replacement of cement in concrete. The laboratory work essentially consists of characterization of the raw and waste materials, preparation of concrete specimens with diatomite and WPM in different ratios by weight as replacement for cement and a superplasticizing admixture to reduce water demand and compression and flexural tests of the specimens. Test results indicated that the concrete specimens containing 10% diatomite, 5% WPM and 5% WPM +10% diatomite replacement by weight for cement had the best compressive and flexural strength and the replacement of cement with diatomite and WMP separately and together using a superplasticizing admixture could be utilized to improve the mechanical properties of the conventional concrete mixtures. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.